Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-02-17
A sHORT-HoRN PIG.
2xrs- BOwser's Experience with New style
PorI<er Discovered by Her Husband.

2iS is UeaO One Gay last 1aIl MI
Bowser suddenly turned on me with:
-tMrs, Bowser, why don't we keep
piga"
Because we have no pen, no plac,
for one, and don't want the nuisance
1--WE have plenty of room for pen
/ can make one in half day, and we
might as well raise our own pork as tt
buy it. The kitchen-stuff you give
away would fatten three pigs"
l talked and argued, but it was nc
use. drought up our poor success with
hens. bnt he choked me off with:
'-Mrs. Bowser, perhaps you may not
know the difference between a lean,
old. heartbroken hen and choice pig,
but 1 do, and we shall keep pig"
"Well, don't ask me to bother with
. at"
-'No one intended to! On the con-
trary hope you will keep as far away
from him as possible. You can also
buy your own pork chops next winter!'
During the next three days Mr.. Bow
ser was pig-hunting and pen-building,
and at length a terrible squealing in
the alley informed me that his pur-
sAC0d-oG udu UccH l. WCuO OuL
after bit and found thin, cadaver-
Gus, wild-eyed beast weighing about
fifty pounds in the pen. He uttered a
--woofr' and made spring at me as 1
looked over and Mr.. Bowser came from
the barn and roared out:
"What are you doing there? Doyou
want to scare that pig to death?"
al was simply looking at him."
'''Well, you simply keep away for
while! That pig is strange. He's
got to have time to look around. Any
one knowing bran from broomsticks
wouldn't go rushing up to a pig-pen
IKE thatt'
what breed is hep
-'Short-horn, of course. You don't
think I'd fool away my time on COM
anon pig, do youP'
''Why, / never heard Of a short-horn
pig before"
|rOh, you didn't! There are great
anany things you never heard of, Mrs.
Bowser, and never will"
''He is very tain."
''Thin! OF course he is! If he was
fat he couldn't hold half of our kitchen
stuff
-.Jnst hear him take on!''
"'Gooaway with you! It's your voice
that excites him! Mrs. Bowser, if that
pig bursts a blood vessel you will be to
blame for it, and it will cost you eight
dollars IN cashi'
Il went into the house and the pig
seemed more quiet. Mr.. Bowser fed
him corn, potatoes, apples, swill, cold
thiaauit, rib of cold beef, peanuts,
grass, half AN orange and banana.
When Ire came in he rubbed his hands
and chuckled:
~tSeems almost like being on farm
again! L, ought never to have been
any thing but n farmer"
WE had scarcely finished supper WREN
the pig began to squeal. Mr.. Bowser
went out and walked seven times
around the pen, without being able to
find any thing wrong. The pig had
good bed and an abundance of food.
but he stood in the middle of the pen
and kept up doleful squealing; and
7t was not until Mr.. Bowser knocked |
saim down with fence picket that we
got an interval of rest. He squealed
from eight to nine without break, and,
when Mr.. Bowser came home at the |
latter hour, he punched him with hoe |
handle and secured another respite. |
We had just got to bed when the dole
full music began again.
''.He's the uneasiest pig 1 ever saw"
Il ventured to observe, 'and 1 wonder
you didn't get some other breed"
..Mrs Bowser, did you ever own
pig, shoat or hog in all your life?"
NO.
s"Then don't give me any more talk!
When want your advice will ask for
fts"
"But is he to squeal all night?"
eff he wants to-"
I think he did. He got little hoarse
about two o'clock in the morning. but
ne managed to make himself heard all
the same. Mr.. Bowser went out and
fed him cat-loaf sugar and some Sara
4oga POTATOES, and for an hour or two
ne stood in corner of the pen and
seemed buried in reflection. Then he
suddenly appeared in the back yard
and rooted up six dollars worth of new
sodding and two beds of flowers, and
the cook and had no sooner got him
into the pen than he began squealing
again. During the afternoon Mr..
Bowser remained home and worked the
racket so vigorously that
by night the pig had got it into his
head that the less he was heard from
the better.
Tho next day the animal goI cut
twice, and it didn't take but twelve of
fhesneighbors to get him back. After
the first night, and from that to the
night of his death, he rested one hour